The present invention relates generally to compact disc (CD) recorders and players. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a combination CD recorder and player system.
Many consumers have music collections that include a number of CDs. While CDs have many benefits that are well known in the art, large collections of CDs have several disadvantages. First, it can be time consuming to locate a particular CD in a large CD collection. In many cases, a consumer must look through the entire collection in order to locate the desired CD. The larger the collection, the more time-consuming this process can be. While organizing the CDs in alphabetical order can minimize the amount of time required to locate a particular CD, many consumers do not do so. Moreover, the process of organizing and maintaining large CD collections in alphabetical order can be time-consuming. Thus, there is a need for a system that reduces the amount of time required to locate a CD in a large CD collection.
Similarly, it can be time-consuming to locate a specific song on a particular CD in a large CD collection. In addition to the time it takes to locate the CD containing the desired song, a consumer must search through the songs on the CD to locate the desired song. In many cases, the consumer must review the face of the CD, or the CD case associated with the CD, to locate the number of the desired song, and then must input that number into the CD player being used to play the CD. To input the correct number, the consumer usually must skip though several songs to reach the desired song. When using CD players that hold multiple CDs, the consumer may also be required to skip through multiple CDs in order to reach the CD that includes the desired song. Regardless of whether a consumer is using a CD player that can hold a single CD or multiple CDs, the process of locating a specific song on a CD can be time-consuming. Thus, there is a need for a system that reduces the amount of time required to access a particular song in a large CD collection.
Large CD music collections are also difficult to access in multiple locations. To do so, a consumer must physically move the collection from one location to another. This can be a time-consuming and inconvenient process. The larger the collection, the more time-consuming and inconvenient it can be. Furthermore, in some cases, it is simply not practical to move a large CD collection to a particular location. For example, it is usually not very practical to move a large CD collection into a small automobile. Many consumers, however, would like to be able to access their music collections in their automobiles, as well as in other locations. Thus, there is a need for a system that allows a consumer to access a large CD music collection in multiple locations.
In addition to being time-consuming to locate and play, CDs have other disadvantages. For example, to play a CD that is stored in a CD case, a consumer must remove the CD from the case and insert it into a CD player. When the consumer does so, the consumer may touch the surface of the CD and leave oil or dirt on it. If this happens, the CD may skip in the player or, in some cases, may not play at all. Thus, there is a need for a system that reduces or eliminates the risk that a consumer will put oil or dirt on a CD and prevent it from playing properly.
CDs also usually include songs that a consumer likes to listen to and songs that they do not like to listen to. In many cases, the songs that the consumer enjoys are intermingled with the songs that the consumer does not enjoy. As a result, the consumer must either listen to the songs that they do not enjoy or skip over those songs to reach a song that the consumer enjoys. In either case, this can be inconvenient for the consumer. Thus, there is a need for a system that allows a consumer to listen to songs they enjoy without having to listen to or skip over songs that they do not enjoy.
In other cases, the songs that the consumer enjoys are located on multiple, different CDs and the consumer must carry all of those CDs with them when they travel to different locations if they want to listen to the songs that they enjoy. This too can be inconvenient for a consumer. Thus, there is a need for system that allows a consumer to listen to songs that they enjoy, located on a variety of different CDs, without requiring the consumer to carry the different CDs with them.
In addition to the disadvantages associated with CD players discussed above, prior art CD players usually include a black or silver enclosure that is not aesthetically appealing to many consumers. Thus, there is an additional need for a CD player system that is more aesthetically appealing to consumers and that overcomes the disadvantages discussed above.
Prior art CD players also usually include remote control devices that can be used to control the various functions associated with the CD players. While the remote controls may make it more convenient to control these CD players, they increase the number of remote control devices in a home and make it more difficult to locate the correct remote for a given piece of electronic equipment. For example, many people have a remote control for their TV, VCR, DVD Player, and stereo system. By including another remote with a prior art CD player, the number of remote control devices in a home is increased. As a result, it is more difficult to locate the correct remote for the TV, VCR, or DVD player. Thus, there is a need for a system that overcomes the above-referenced disadvantages and that does not increase, and preferably decreases, the number of remote controls in a given home.
Obtaining new music on CDs can be a time-consuming and inconvenient process for a consumer. In many cases, a consumer drives to a store, reviews the available CDs, selects one or more CDs, and purchases the selected CDs. The consumer then returns home to listen to the selected CDs. This can be time-consuming and inconvenient for the consumer, particularly, when the consumer lives a great distance from the store selling the CDs. Thus, there is a need for a system that reduces the amount of time required and makes it more convenient for a consumer to purchase new music.
What is needed, then, is a system that overcomes the above-referenced disadvantages of the prior art.